THE OEDEE OF THE CINCINNATI 399 



blue ribbon two inches wide edged with white descriptive 

 of the Union of America and France ; the principal figure : 

 Cincinuatus — three senators presenting him with a sword. ' ' 

 The French connection came from the fact that honour- French 



Honourary 



ary membership in the new Order was conferred ou Lafay- 

 ette and the other French officers both of the army and 

 navy who had so nobly aided in the struggle for Inde- 

 pendence. This number included " His Excellency, The 

 Chevalier de la Luzerne, Minister Plenipotentiary," the 

 Counts D'Estaing, De Grasse, De Barras, and " His Ex- 

 cellency, the Count De Eochambeau." 



The first to sign the articles was Washington, the sec- 

 ond General Heath, the third General Lincoln, and the 

 foui'th General Greene, with Generals Knox, Putnam, 

 and thirty other officers following. Thus began an Order 

 that has survived, and been not only a benevolent or- 

 ganization, but one deeply interested in public affairs. 

 Washington was the first president-general of the Society, 

 and held the office until his death, when he was succeeded 

 by Hamilton. Thus the second president was of Hugue- 

 not blood. Naturally the Society was a warm supporter 

 of Washington in his terms as president, and in conse- 

 quence became identified politically with the Federal 

 party. It was six years after the organization of the 

 Cincinnati that the Society of Tammany, or the Colum- 

 bian Order, was formed in New York, this being at first 

 a benevolent society, but soon becoming political, and 

 antagonizing the Order of the Cincinnati. 



In May, 1883, the Society of the Cincinnati celebrated centennial 

 its centennial at the old Gulian mansion where it was im 

 born a hundred years before. The mansion had been 

 enlarged, but the original part remains, and the room in 

 which the Order was organized has been carefully pre- 

 served and is known as the Cincinnati room, Newburgh 

 and West Point were also visited by the celebrating party. 

 Five or six of the original state societies survive, though 

 the work of the Order was long since accomplished. 



